


The other side

by Semitura



Category: Dr. STONE (Manga)
Genre: Afterlife, Afterlife - Freeform, Alternate Universe - Ghosts, Canon Compliant, Canonical Character Death, Death, Eventual Happy Ending, Everything Hurts, Gen, Ghosts - Freeform, Near Death Experiences, No Beta We Die Like Byakuya, Not Beta Read, Sensory Deprivation, Work In Progress, being petrified/depetrified isn't pretty, buckle up kiddos
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-26
Updated: 2021-02-20
Packaged: 2021-03-12 09:40:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 14,886
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29008449
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Semitura/pseuds/Semitura
Summary: When Byakuya died, he didn’t expect to wake up as a ghost. Since then, he learns a few things:1. Only animals, children under 3 years old, or people who had a near-death experience could see and hear him.2. He could interact with gravestones and petrified people.3. He could only go to the afterlife if Senku reached the Moon.[UPDATE: 20-2-21]: Chapter 4 updated!
Comments: 9
Kudos: 50





	1. Unfinished Business

**Author's Note:**

> 1\. Yet again, English is not my first language
> 
> 2\. I have no idea of what I'm doing, at this point I'm just hurting my feelings ;u;

Everyone has to die one day, and Byakuya knew as such. He had just fallen to the frozen water, where he could see the stars reflected upon the surface. His strength was leaving, his body felt cold, he closed his eyes as he thought of his son. It hurt to breathe, his heartbeat was slowing down. And then it stopped. His lungs weren't filling with air any more, his heart was no longer pumping blood. His body went numb slowly, beginning with his extremities and then his torso. His brain was the last thing to shut down, making him fall unconscious.

Byakuya didn't expect anything else to happen. But then, he opened his eyes slowly, greeted by light. Byakuya was lying down in the ground, looking at the sky. He couldn't feel his body, nor his heartbeat. He was breathing, but couldn't feel the airflow, almost as it only was a reflex. He didn't feel the wind or the heat from the sun or anything, but he was conscious.

What happened to him? He slowly sat down, looking at himself. He was wearing his usual clothes, but he looked semi-transparent and could see things through his fingers as he raised his hands in front of them.

He didn't feel the rocky ground beneath him, and making a quick test, his hand passed right through it. He wasn't corporeal anymore, but it seemed like he could control his ability to pass through solid objects.

He looked behind him and saw the row of tombstones of his friends, with a new one added to it. It had a strange shape and no name, but Byakuya knew his body was buried under it. Just the thought made him shiver. He traced a finger to the tombstone and was surprised to discover he could feel the rock. He could touch it, feel it, interact with it.

Weird.

He couldn't seem to interact with anything else, but maybe he could interact with things related to death? He made the test with the rest of tombstones, and sure enough, he could feel all of them, tracing his fingers to the names written on it. Then, he began to question his situation: If he was dead, why was he still here? Why was he still on Earth and not on the other side with his friends? He tried to think, resting his back to Lillian's grave.

Suddenly, he heard a voice: _"You still have unfinished business"_

Byakuya let out a scream as he violently turned around, trying to identify the source of the voice. But nobody was there. He looked to the grave and felt a shiver through his spine. It couldn't be. He touched the gravestone again, leaning his head against it as he closed his eyes.

"L-Lillian?" He asked, confused. He could hear the female giggle.

 _"Correct!"_ Said Lillian's voice. What a weird feeling it was. He could hear Lillian's voice inside his brain, he could feel her presence, and he could almost picture her smiling to him.

"What is going on?" Byakuya asked.

 _"I told you. Unfinished business. You can't cross unless you finish what you have to do."_ Lillian answered. Byakuya stayed silent, trying to understand the situation.

 _"Unfinished business...what could it be?"_ Byakuya thought. Lillian sighed.

_"I can hear your thoughts too, you know? I don't know what it is either, it is something you have to figure out by yourself"_

Byakuya opened his eyes, shocked to find Lillian could hear his thoughts. How did this...weird phone call even work?

"I see...thanks, Lillian. I think I have to figure this out on my own. Looks like you will have to wait until I'm there with you" Byakuya smiled, as he stood up and looked over the horizon.

He began to have an idea of what his unfinished business could be when he saw the pale silhouette of the Moon in the sky.

* * *

How much time had it been? He didn't know. Byakuya had learn a few things over the passage of time about his new condition.

Normal people didn't seem to hear or see him, but it seemed like children under 3 and animals could. People that were on the verge of death could also interact with him, and the ability didn't seem to fade away even if they ended up surviving.

Byakuya had discovered a useful ability: when someone died, Byakuya could touch the body and make their souls come out. Usual souls seemed to get more transparent over an hour, eventually fading out entirely into the afterlife. Byakuya liked to talk with the deceased as they made their way to the other side, it made him feel useful.

He tried usual ghost stuff and sure, if he put his mind on it he could float away, but he could never float more than 12000 meters, where clouds stopped to form. He could sink into the ground, even to the Earth's very core (it was one time and it was super cool). He tried to possess things, but it didn't seem to work, no matter how much he tried.

He made a few trips over the Earth while being dead, admiring the way civilization collapsed. It was on one of the trips when he discovered another useful ability.

The poor statue had been broken beyond repair, it seemed to belong to a young girl, maybe at the same age as his son.

"Poor thing..." Byakuya tried to touch the statue's head, severed from the rest of her body and he could. He could touch the statues, interact with them just like the tombstones. Byakuya was shocked, and then, he tried to run a quick experiment. He closed his eyes, putting his forehead on the statue.

"Can you hear me?" He said out loud. There was no response, but he could feel the conscience of the girl inside the stone. He could hear her breathing, feel her heartbeat...he could feel her fear. It was weird, he could feel tears on his face, slowly opening his eyes as he offered a warm smile to the statue.

"Don't worry, I'm sure my son will save everyone eventually, including you. So please, be strong until then, I know you can do it." Byakuya didn't know why, but it was like he got a glimpse of this girl's life, at least of her feelings, the way she missed her family, the way she was terrified of being alone, the way she tried to hold to life because she also had unfinished business, just like him.

He understood. He understood she was a fighter, that she had suffered but kept fighting nevertheless, he understood when he connected with her. All he could do is let this girl know that everything will be ok.

He kissed the statue's forehead, putting some distance to clean his tears away. Why was he crying? He didn't know this girl, but still...he could feel the girl smiling, and he knew she would be okay.

If he could interact with the statues, maybe...

* * *

Good news: yes, he could travel wherever he wanted. Bad news: he still had the speed limitations of a human. He didn't get tired and didn't need to eat or sleep, but he couldn't go more than 45km/h wherever he was walking or floating.

He eventually made it to Japan, and he knew searching for him would be a nightmare since his statue could be anywhere. It had been a few decades, maybe longer, since he died and the landscape arround him had change beyond recognition, he could still find where Senku's school was located and him with it.

It took a few days, but he finally arrived to the place. Of course, nothing remained of the building. Some statues were buried in the rock walls or the ground, some of them broken or smashed into bits.

A few hours later, there still was no sign of him. Had he been washed away by the rain? Or maybe his statue was broken beyond recognition. Byakuya shook that thought away, even if that was the case, he would find every single piece of him and find a way to put him back. He wasn't going to give up that easily.

* * *

It took 2 days to finally find him. Half-buried in the ground, under a pile of moss, laid the statue of his son. Byakuya felt all sort of feelings inside him: pride, relief, sorrow… he couldn’t feel the tears falling down his face. He positioned himself behind it, kneeling down to the statue. He made a motion to cup his son’s face, but then he stopped. He knew that as soon as he touched the statue, he would be able to speak with his son once more, so why was he hesitating?

Deep down, he knew. He knew his son was conscious, he could feel his conscience being this close to him. He wasn’t like the other statues, he was fully conscious, fighting alone in the darkness. He took a deep breath. He wouldn’t talk, he wouldn’t let Senku know he was there. He reached for the statue, putting their foreheads together as he cupped his son’s face.

_“1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 15.779.070.000.000.000...500 years since I was petrified. It’s been half a millennia already, huh?”_

_"He’s...counting?’"_ Byakuya opened his eyes in retaliation as he broke the connection, looking at his son with shock. “You counted...all this time? Ever since you were petrified… you counted every second?” Byakuya didn’t understand, why was his son counting that ridiculous amount of time? To see how long he spent white petrified? Or maybe…

“The date! Of course!” Byakuya smiled “If you’re gonna wake up, you have to start in spring if you want to survive, so you’re counting to tell the date!” Byakuya laughed loudly, not like nobody could hear. “Well done, Senku!” But then, Byakuya looked at his son with melancholy and nostalgia “500 years...huh? It’s been a long time...”

Deep inside, Byakuya wondered how much time had passed since he died. How many seconds had he spent in this state, trying to figure out a way to go to the afterlife. But seeing his son, knowing he was gonna wake up and re-start civilization...Byakuya knew intermediately what his unfinished business was.

He had to take Senku to the Moon.


	2. Senku

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After being petrified for 3700 years, Senku revives.
> 
> He didn't expect to die and come back from death.  
> And he didn't certainly expect to see his father's ghost after that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Turns out being petrified for 3700 years has consequences...  
> Who would have thought?

Byakuya stayed at his son’s side. He didn’t care if it took millennia for him to wake up, he was going to be there for him when he did. Once or twice he did check on him, just to hear him counting a ridiculous quantity of seconds. He made his best to not speak with him, to leave his mind blank in case he could hear his toughs through the connection.

It had been 3700 years (according to his son) when he heard a crack on Senku’s statue. Byakuya got worried, panicking about the statue of his son breaking apart. When he saw only the exterior shell broke as his son took his first breath after 3700 years, Byakuya was relieved.

Being depetrified was…something. Senku felt his heart starting to pump blood again and the first breath after being depetrified hurt, making him gasp and cough. His body felt numb and cold, the light almost blinded him and he closed his eyes, trying to shield them with his arms, but unfortunately, his arms wouldn’t move no matter how much he tried. He tried to move his fingers, and slowly but certainly, he felt a twitch. He wishes he could speak, but he couldn’t. He tried to hum, and it worked, slowly working his way to say something, anything.

“3.700 years...” his first worlds after 3700 years. He had almost forgotten how his own voice sounded like. Slowly, he moved his neck, his shoulders, his hands...until he made sure his whole body responded. Lifting his legs and arms was hard, but after a few tries (and lots of willpower), he lifted an arm, he put it in front of him, closing and opening his hand.

“Okay, my body is one billion percent sore...but I can at last move” Senku glazed around, trying to locate himself and grabbing one of the stone bits to give it a closer inspection. He tried to sit up, but failed miserably, not being able to lift his torso.

“Okay, maybe being petrified for so long hasn’t been that good.” he let out a small laugh. He rocked his body back and forth until he was able to sit down. Next step: standing. Or maybe not, because his legs felt like noodles.

“Tsk. Gonna take a while to do that, huh?” He kept his head low as he still wasn’t used to the sun shining over him. The sun felt warm, the ground was cold… he could hear the wind, the birds, the grass, everything. A shiver ran through his spine: this was more than he could take. Having back his five sense was weird, he felt his head spinning around as he slowly laid down again so he could get rid of the horrible headache.

“Heh...one step at a time. April 1st, 5750...this is year 0” Senku felt the world mix and turn as he went back to sleep.

Byakuya sat down next to his son, admiring him. He almost had forgotten what he looked like beneath the stone. He smiled as Senku laid in the ground, sleeping peacefully. He tried to touch him, but his hand went right through his hair. He traced Senku’s marks with his fingers. Were those a result of petrification? He guessed as such.

* * *

It took Senku almost a week to be able to walk again. He couldn’t run, but that was ok. He wasn’t used to the light, so he tried to stay in the shadows. He hated the poor state his body was in, but it was the best it could do after 3700 years of nothingness, nothing but counting.

Byakuya saw as his son survived in the Stone World. He often avoided moving when the sun was high in the sky to not go blind, but other than that, he hunted, cooked and even made a small shelter all by himself. Byakuya could only watch, because Senku couldn’t watch or hear him, but it was ok. As long as his son was ok, everything was going to be ok.

It took 3 months for Senku to finally recover. He could run, he finally got used to the light again. It felt nice, too nice. Other than his poor view, he noticed that his hearing and touching had gone better, and he even tasted things better than before. Or maybe, it was normal and Senku was just getting used to it again.

He finally got some clothes, a nice shelter, food and a whole world to explore. Live couldn’t look better, but still… if Senku was bad at something, that would be psychical resistance. He couldn’t make it through the day, one human wasn’t enough. He needed power work, and he knew where to get it.

Senku went over to the place he revived, a few meters away. It took a while to de-burry his friend Taiju, eyes lighting up as he remembered his name, his face, their relationship together. Senku could feel his eyes starting to wet, but he wasn’t gonna cry over his petrified friend. He sat down next to him, poking his face.

“Hey big oaf, what would it take for you to wake up as I did?” Senku sat down, thinking on it when a bat crossed flying in front of him and go into a cave. Curious, Senku went in, as the smell of nitric acid hit him.

Byakuya stayed with Taiju, he wondered how the big guy was doing, so he smiled as he placed his hands in Taiju’s, closing his eyes.

“Hey there, Taiju. How have you been?” Byakuya didn’t need an answer, as he felt a wave of energy coming from the statue, warm and confident. It was weird. Most of the statues he interacted with were full of sorrow, sadness and loneliness, but Taiju was filled with hope.

 _“Yuzu...riha...”_ he heard. Byakuya processed the name, as he remembered the girl Taiju and Senku were friends with.

“So all this time, you’ve been thinking of her, huh? She was your light in the dark, just like Senku was for me...” Byakuya could feel Taiju’s smile.

 _“You’re...how’s...Senku?”_ Taiju asked. His voice was weak, but he wasn’t gonna give up, Byakuya knew as such.

“He’s ok, don’t worry about him. What about you?” Byakuya smiled, feeling Taiju nod.

 _“Don’t worry old man, I’ll be fine.”_ Then, Byakuya felt the weirdest thing, almost if he was pulled off from his connection state as he returned to reality with a shiver, letting go of Taiju’s hands. Did he... Did Taiju cut the connection? Byakuya wasn’t aware that was a thing people could do, hang out like that on his weird phone-call from the dead. Byakuya knew Taiju was going to be ok, just like his son. His son had such a wonderful friend…

Byakuya saw as Senku came running from the cave, with a pot in hand as he poured some sort of yellow liquid on him. Byakuya couldn’t smell it, so he didn’t know what it was. But he did see as Senku’s face lighted up and then dropped in utter betrayal. Byakuya could sense an emotion he had already seen plenty of times in his son’s face. It screamed, _“Why doesn’t this work?”_

* * *

For the next months, he sees his son begin to experiment. He leaves Taiju’s statue in the cave, begging him to wake up. That day, Byakuya makes a decision. He would wait with Taiju, until he came back.

“ _Senku needs you...I’m counting on you, Taiju...please, wake up and help my son”_

He doesn’t know how much time has it been, but he finally hears the cracking sound of stone coming from Taiju’s statue.

Taiju lies on the ground, face stuck in moss, trying to move, trying to breathe because he can’t. He’s suffocating. Byakuya tries to help him, grabbing him by his shoulders and trying to roll him over. In a reflex move to keep him alive, or maybe hearing Byakuya’s request, Taiju’s head moves to the side, allowing the boy to take his painful first breath. Contrary to Senku, he can move around, but quickly realizes the pain it brings to his body, shivering every inch. Why does he feel so cold? He tries to scream, but his voice does not reach him.

_“Take it easy, you’ve been sleeping for a long time...”_ Byakuya speaks. It’s not like Taiju can hear him, but Byakuya stays at his side. Watching him take his first painful steps towards the new world. Taiju finally screams when the light hits his eyes, making him turn to the darkness shielding his eyes, his body supporting itself in the cave’s walls.

“Aah, my eyes...” Taiju rubs his eyes off, watching the little burn marks dance away in his eyes, just like he had been flashed by a bright light. “Why does everything hurt?” Taiju feels the urge to vomit, he wants to hold back, but he can’t. He coughs, but he doesn’t vomit. He feels his stomach empty and his throat is dry. He hasn’t felt this awful in his entire life.

 **“Ugh-”** He kneels down, trying to get rid of the feeling, putting a hand to his mouth. He still feels like he’s gonna vomit, even if he can’t puke out.

  
 _“Take it easy..._ ” Byakuya rubs his hand against Taiju’s back. It doesn’t do anything and is not like Taiju can feel it, but Byakuya feels better knowing he’s there with the boy.

It takes Taiju a few minutes to compose himself and go out from the cave slowly, adjusting his eyes to the blinding sunlight. He only sees statues, vegetation and a landscape he’s not familiar yet.

“Statues...so it happened to everyone?”

The boy makes his way through the new world, and as soon as he sees the river, he doesn’t hesitate to drink some water. The water feels fresh and cold, and he feels way better. He drinks like he hasn’t drunk in a long, long time. He almost chokes and some tears show up, but he doesn’t stop.

Byakuya makes a mental note: apparently, Taiju can’t take anything easy.

Taiju follows the river downstream, searching for someone very important to him. He doesn’t remember much, just a blurry face, a distant voice and a name, but when he sees the statue trapped in the tree, he doesn’t doubt who it is. “Yuzuriha...” he approaches her, screaming loudly as tears form in his eyes. “Good job, tree! You kept her save all this time!”

Byakuya sees as Taiju reunited with Yuzuriha. Seeing the statue wakes up some memories of the girl trapped beneath the stone. He watches as Taiju confesses to her, but there’s no answer. Suddenly, the boy makes his way to the statue.

“Yuzuriha! I promise you! I’ll save you, no matter what!” He punches a hand near the statue and then he sees something, his expression changes to shock, and he begins to run.

Byakuya wonders what the hell all of that was about and he makes his way to the tree, seeing the message carved on it: 'Follow the river downstream, you big oaf' He recognizes Senku’s letter.

He wants to check on Yuzuriha first, just a quick peek and then he will follow Taiju and see Senku again.

He takes a deep breath, trying to calm himself up, if he had a heartbeat, it would be racing. He gives a couple of slaps to his face, but he truly couldn’t feel anything, not even his own hands slapping his cheeks.

He closes his eyes and reaches for the girl’s statue, putting his hands in the girl’s shoulders.

He feels...warmth. Is not like Taiju, this one feels more like being woken up by the sun after a long afternoon nap, just like a mother’s embrace. He feels better, calmer. The girl’s presence irradiates nothing but peace and tranquillity, knowing she has nothing to worry about because there’s that special someone always looking after her.

Byakuya smiles as he closes the connection, smiling at the girl.  
“I’m sure you’ll reunite with them soon. You’ll be fine ‘till then, right?”

Seeing the statue fills Byakuya with confidence. But he wastes no time to follow the river stream. He can’t wait to see his son again.

* * *

How did everything turn out like this? He sees as Shisio Tsukasa stands in front of Senku, taking Yuzuriha as a hostage, asking Senku to quit science so he can let him live.

“Nah, I don’t think I can do that” Senku replies.

“Then, I’ll have to kill you,” Tsukasa says. Yuzuriha scapes Tsukasa’s embrace, but she’s too afraid to move.

“Do it in one blow, will ya?” Senku cracks his neck. “Making me bleed wouldn't be logical”

“Mh” Tsukasa agrees “Don’t worry, I’ll break your spinal cord. You’ll die intermediately, so you won’t suffer”

Byakuya watches as Tsukasa approaches Senku, knife in hand. He sees Taiju running in the distance, but Byakuya knows he won’t make it in time.

He tries to stop holding Tsukasa’s arm, but he can’t. The knife hits Senku’s body as he begins to fall to the ground. In that moment, Byakuya can feel it. As soon as his son reached the ground, Byakuya knows he’s already dead.

He hears Taiju screaming, but it’s already too late. Byakuya drops to the ground, looking at his son. His eyes and mouth wide open as he tried to give the last scream that he didn’t have time to even begin. Byakuya feels awful, he feels the tears running down to his face, as he watches his son’s body.

“Senku...” he reaches to his son’s face, and he can feel it. He can feel his son’s body, still warm in the ground. Of course, if he was dead...Byakuya tries. He concentrates as he embraces his son, now in Taiju’s arms as he cries over him with Yuzuriha at his side. He slowly pulls his son’s soul out of his body, embracing it in his arms.

He watches as Senku’s body is left on the ground as Taiju grabs a huge ass rock and lifts it to the air. Byakuya is as shocked as Tsukasa at this point, there’s an explosion and suddenly, Taiju, with Senku’s body on his arms and Yuzuriha start running as a storm begins to roar.

Darkness. In an instant, everything had fallen into nothingness. How did things turn out like this? He can’t feel anything, he can’t hear anything, he can’t see anything, there’s only darkness. It’s different when he was petrified, because he can’t even think, he can’t do anything. But suddenly, he feels something pulling him out of the darkness. It’s still dark, but he can feel a pair of arms embracing him. It feels warm and familiar, it feels safe, it feels like home. Senku lets himself rest upon the stranger’s arms. He feels tired, so tired…

“ _...ku”_ a voice calls out ". _..enku"_ Senku mumbles and turns in his sleep. It feels so warm… “Senku!” He slowly opens his eyes. He is confused, so confused. He doesn’t know where he is, or when, or how, or who, nothing. He looks up, there’s someone looking at him, the person that the warm arms embracing him belong to. He stares at him for a straight minute, trying to figure out who he is, trying to figure out what happened to him.

He remembers. It’s like a click on his mind, and he remembers everything. He jumps with a scream, pushing the stranger away and looking at himself. He’s transparent. He’s kneeling on the ground in front of the stranger, also keeled down.

He can’t feel anything, not even his breathing or his heartbeat. He panics for a second, but then feels a familiar warmth on his shoulders. He sees the stranger’s hands at his shoulders. It feels reassuring like everything was gonna be okay. He calms down and smiles.

“Sorry...I freaked out back there” Senku takes a deep breath, looking at the stranger. The stranger offers him a familiar warm smile, embracing the boy again in his arms. This time, Senku doesn’t try to fight against it.

“Senku...I’m sorry. I’m so sorry...” The stranger’s embrace tightness around him. Senku raises an eyebrow, being confused by the situation.

“I’m sorry...” Senku pulls away enough to see the stranger’s face once more, trying his best to recognize it “Do I...know you?”

The words pierce trough the stranger’s, non-existent heart. Senku can see the stranger flinching away, hurt written all over his face, his body shivering and tears running out from his face.

“Sen...ku? C’mon Senku, it’s me...” the stranger breaks down completely “I tried so hard to help, but I couldn’t. I’m really a useless father, aren’t I?”

Senku has never been so confused in all his life. Did he...did he know this man? His voice and face are so familiar, but it’s like any and all memory about this man had vanished. Until he hears the word ‘father’ coming out from the man’s mouth. No. It couldn’t be.

Senku reaches out to the stranger’s face, tracing his features, cupping his face as he gives it a closer inspection. Something inside him tells him he’s not wrong in his hypothesis.

“...father?”

Byakuya’s face lights up. “It’s me, son.”

Senku shivers as he embraces his father. How could he have forgotten him for a second? How could he? He wasn’t gonna forgive himself.

“Dad, dad, dad, dad...” Senku starts to sob, then to cry, he can’t stop the tear flow, the feelings mixing inside him are making him dizzy, he sinks into his fathwr's torso as he embraces him tighter.

“Shh...it’s okay son, I’m here.” Byakuya embraces his son, placing one of his hands on his son’s hair as he begins to play with it, trying his best to comfort the boy. “...it’s gonna be ok”

Senku feels an awful tug in his chest.

“D-dad?” Byakuya feels his son’s soul shiver with pain.

“You’re gonna be fine, son” Byakuya moves his hand to lift Senku up, placing this soul inside his body. He sees as Senku’s soul turns into light and goes inside his body as he returns to life.

His first breath doesn’t hurt. It feels like waking up after a nightmare. He stares at the sky, still confused on his whole afterlife experience.

“The storm has washed away, so don’t raise your voices, Tsukasa could hear us”

Taiju and Yuzuriha panic for a minute, and then turn to Senku as they celebrate his revival.

Byakuya smiles as he sees the trio reunited. He was glad his son was back to life. He wondered what would had happened if he really died. Would have he stayed in Earth forever? Would have both of them go to the afterlife together? He didn’t know. But he was glad his son was alive.

He felt Senku’s eyes lock onto him, as the teen’s eyes widened with surprise.

Byakuya smiled, knowing exactly what was happening.

_“Hello, son.”_

Senku snickered, confusing Taiju and Yuzuriha.

“Care to explain?” Senku asked, making Byakuya laugh.

“ _Maybe later, when your friends can’t think that you’re crazy_ ” He answers, proudly standing with hands on his hips.

“Sound good, old man”

Taiju looks at Senku with a worried look.

“Senku? Who are you talking to?” he asks, placing a hand to Senku’s forehead to see if he’s sick.

“Nothing, I was thinking out loud, big oaf.” Senku tried to dismiss.

“Okay, but if you feel bad let us know” Yuzuriha interrupted.

Senku smiled, beginning to walk to their next location.

* * *

After being separated from Taiju and Yuzuriha, Senku stared to his father, and he was about to begin questioning him if the sound of a far-away three falling in the distance didn’t interrupt his line of thought.

Senku and Byakuya shared a nod and Senku began to run to the place, seeing a girl being trapped under the tree.

“The gentlemen sorcerer? You’re alive!” The girl was shocked, seeing as the boy searched for a way to save her. When he gave her the option, she said she’ll be fine. Senku stared at his father once again.

 _“I’ll stay with her. If anything happens, I’ll let you know, ok?”_ Byakuya said, pulling a thumbs up. Senku nodded as he began to work on the pulley.

Byakuya sat next to the girl, trying to identify her. _“Where do you even come from?”_ of course, it wasn’t like the girl could listen to him, but Byakuya didn’t care _. “Don’t worry, my son is gonna save you”_

A few hours later, the girl was saved thanks to Senku’s pulley as she introduced herself as Kohaku.

“My name’s Senku.” Senku introduced.

 _“I’m Byakuya! Oops, I guess you can’t hear me, haha...”_ Byakuya laughed, putting a hand to the back to his head.

“I can hear you perfectly” Kohaku said. Byakuya’s eyes widened.

“What?” father and son said in unison.

“I said” Kohaku repeated “I can hear you perfectly, old man”


	3. Legacy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Byakuya connects the dots as he sees the village in front of him

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Be ready for more ghost rules and cool concepts :D

Senku and Byakuya glanced to each other. This girl...why could she see Byakuya?

"Well, this is exhilarating. You didn't even have to die in order to see the old man" Senku put his hands on his hips as Kohaku fixed her hair.

"It's nothing new. Women of my family have always had the ability to see the spirits of the deceased." Kohaku explained.

Byakuya had never heard something like that before, but he had found people that could see him even without meeting the requirements, so it could be possible that the ability to see spirits could be passed from generation to generation or that some people were already born with it on the first place.

" _Why does it only affect women?"_ Byakuya questioned.

"Something about the first medium in my family being female, I think" Kohaku answered "I'm sure my big sister Ruri knows more than me about the issue"

Byakuya looked at the girl as his mind began to work. If she descended from a female medium, could it be that this girl was…?

“Anyway, you’re fighting against the long-haired guy, right? I’ll help you” Kohaku said with a determined look on her face.

"Yeah, I’m gonna build a scientist kingdom to do that, but I need manpower"Senku explained.

"So you want allies." Kohaku guessed. “I know someone in my village that could be useful, but it’s getting late. We will spend the night here and go in the morning”

They make themselves comfortable near a tree. Senku looks at his father staring at the stranger girl.

“I know that look. You know something” Senku guesses. Byakuya doesn’t answer, instead offering him a warm smile. Senku looks at the girl, who’s now sleeping next to the tree, sitting down with her weapons.

“What are you, some hominid species that sleeps while armed?”

Kohaku looked at Senku, uttering a single laugh.

“Hah, this is just a habit. I’ve always taken care of myself. By the way...” She stared at Senku and then at Byakuya. “Do you know each other?”

Byakuya and Senku exchanged a look. Byakuya laughed loudly, confusing the girl.

“ _Well, you could say so. I’m his father.”_ Byakuya answers.

“Oh-” Kohaku looks to Senku, words escaping her mouth.“I’m...so sorry. This situation must be difficult for you...”

“Nah” Senku pulls a finger to his ears, yawning. “He’s one billion percent annoying, so I was sure he was gonna haunt me even after he died. And turns out I was right”

Byakuya pulls a hand to his heart, with a hurt expression on his face. _“You’re too cold with your father...”_

Kohaku is confused by the situation, what a weird father-son relationship… “If you’re here it must be for a reason” she concludes.

“ _Yeah, can’t cross without doing something first.”_ Byakuya winks.

“Oh? And what would it be? What will it take to finally get rid of you?” Senku was as cold as always.

Byakuya puts a finger to his mouth, winking again _“That would be a secret~♪”_

“Aah-” Senku sights. “See? He’s just an annoyance. And you should go to sleep.” Senku turns in his bed, trying to go back to sleep.

  
  


Byakuya sights. _“Excuse my son, please. He’s...a little difficult sometimes, he might look cold, but he cares deep inside. That’s just how he is.”_ He smiles, looking to Kohaku. She offers a sight, making herself comfortable enough to be able to sleep.

  
  


* * *

  
  


They finally had arrived at the village. Byakuya and Senku looked at it in wonder, both of them wondering where did these people even come from. Byakuya began to form a theory in his head, maybe...Nah, it couldn’t be, could it?

  
  


As Senku approached the bridge of destiny, he was stopped by two boys, both armed with spears. They weren’t going to let him pass.

“ _Hey, Senku...”_ Byakuya pointed to the pot of water that Kohaku had left in the ground. _“I have an idea. You still carry that bar of soap with you?”_

Senku smiled. Byakuya didn’t even have to tell him what his father was scheming. He approached the pot, got his hands wet and grabbed the soap bar, blowing a few bubbles into the air.

“Sorcery!” Kohaku exclaimed.

“ _Sorcery? It’s just soap bubbles...”_ Byakuya was almost as surprised as his son to find out how the villagers seemed to have little to none scientific knowledge.

“Chrome! It’s sorcery!!~~” the blonde guy that Kohaku identified as Ginro screamed, running away from the scene.

“Don’t worry Ginro, I’m already here” a brunette boy with a rope tightened to his head appeared “I’ve been watching him from the shore and came as soon as I saw these!” The boy pointed to the bubbles, as he popped some of them with his fingers “there’s nothing to be afraid of, you can make these with charcoal lye”

That made Senku get a little bit excited. It seemed this boy had some sort of scientific knowledge.

“Well, we don’t even have to search for him. This is the guy I spoke you about, Senku” Kohaku smiled.

“My name’s Chrome, the genius sorcerer!” The brunette introduced himself, pointing at himself proudly.

“A sorcerer?” Father and son said in unison.

“I’m Senku,” Senku pulled a finger to his ear “the scientist”

“I’ll show you something that will blow you mind, I never lose when it comes to sorcery!” Chrome and Senku exchanged a determined look. Byakuya was getting excited. He wondered what this Chrome guy was gonna do.

  
  


They walked to Chrome’s shed, where he had just started a fire. Byakuya saw as his son sat on the ground, almost getting ready to enjoy the show. He sat next to him.

“ _Ooh, I wish I had some popcorn...”_ Byakuya said in a happy tone.

“Popcorn?” Kohaku asked.

“Even if you had some, you wouldn’t be able to eat them” Senku teased.

“Who are you talking to?” Chrome asked. “Planning on how you’re gonna run away when you see my bad sorcery?” the sorcerer smiled.

“Not a millimetre. I’m just wondering what you’re gonna show me.” Senku explained. True, he has almost forgotten that normal people couldn’t see nor hear Byakuya.

Chrome smiled wildly “Then check this out! Rainbow bridge!” The fire started to change colours as Chrome threw stuff at it. The villagers and Byakuya awed as they saw the sorcery happen but Senku stared at it with a blank look on his face as he explained the chemistry behind the color-changing reactions of fire. Chrome seemed shocked by the boy knowing about the ticks behind his sorcery and ran to his shed to collect something else from it.

“ _Aah, couldn’t you let him have some fun?”_ Byakuya turned to Senku with puppy eyes.

“He just threw some stuff to fire, nothing out of the ordinary” Senku answered. Chrome appeared back with a strange ball in his arms. He started to rub it, putting a finger to Ginro as a little electric spark ran trough the blonde’s nose.

“Hey, what was that attack for?” Ginro cried. Senku stood up, taking the ball with him.

“Ah, a sulfur ball. Rubbing it using my science flag will generate ten billion times more power than rubbing it with your hands.” Senku grabbed his leather flag as he began to rub the ball, static electricity making his hair puff. He then touched Chrome, electrocuting him.

“ _Hey, be careful with that, Senku. We don’t want anybody ending up like me...”_ Byakuya added to the scene.

Chrome saw as Senku passed the ball to Kohaku and Ginro, curious about the sorcery behind it.

“Chrome...did you come with all of this by yourself in this primitive village? Did you collect minerals and scientific materials all on your own?” Senku questioned, looking at Chrome’s storage house, or rather, at Chrome’s science shed.

“So what if I did?” Chrome answered. “Kids collect all things of stuff, they break them, mix them, burn them...and if something crazy happens, it’s sorcery. What else could it be?!” Chrome shouted.

“ _Science.”_ Byakuya looked at Chrome, smiling. _“Humans have always tried to find an explanation for things around them. At first, the world was explained by gods and magic. We questioned the world, we experimented with it, and we called it alchemy._

_Alchemy evolved into chemistry. We found the rules of the world and called it physics. We found how our body worked and called it biology. We found what rocks did, and called it geology. We wanted to know more about the stars, and we made astronomy._

_We stopped explaining the world with gods and magic...and started to explain it with science. Humans are curious by nature. It might have been 3700 years, but there’s always been someone that will try everything in order to see what happens. That’s because science is part of being human”_

Senku made sure to repeat the monologue word by word to make sure Chrome heard it as well.

Kohaku couldn’t understand all of Byakuya’s monologue, but she understood that science was something amazing. Chrome was kinda shocked, not knowing how to answer to what he had just heard.

“Chrome! I’m sure Tsukasa will kill you 10 billion percent! Your only choice is to join my kingdom of science!” Senku approached to the boy, intimidating him. Senku began to climb the stairs to Chrome’s shed. “and I’ll take this science shed too!”

“Wait! One last duel! If you win, I’ll give you everything!” Chrome challenged.

Senku sighted, getting downstairs. “A duel?”

Chrome pointed to the scientist. “Arithmetics! Fight me with numbers!”

Byakuya could feel the air grow heavier around him. _“Oh no...”_ He saw as his son utterly crushed the sorcerer with formulas. _“Yeah, that was expected”_

Senku made his way into Chrome’s shed, admiring his collection. All kinds of minerals and plants…It was better than he thought. When he woke up, he had a dream that seemed almost impossible to reach, but seeing Chrome’s collection filled him with confidence. For the first time, Senku truly thought that he could do this, that he could really re-start civilization.

  
  


As Senku placed the flag Yuzuriha gave him at the top of Chrome’s shed, Byakuya knew he was witnessing the humble beginnings of the scientific kingdom.

  
  


A golden spear later, night came in a blink as Chrome explained the situation to Senku. Turns out Kohaku’s sister was the village’s priestess and she was sick. Chrome had worked all his life to find a cure, eventually becoming the village’s sorcerer.

“Senku, is there a sorcery...no, a science that can heal her?” Chrome eventually asked.

“Depends on her illness, honestly. There is a kind of cure-all, but we still have a long way to go.” Senku explained. “Chrome, for now, I should tell you everything about the world before the collapse”

Byakuya heard as Senku began to tell Chrome about the old civilization. Chrome stayed in silence as he took in all the information, fascinated by everything humankind was able to achieve. When Senku was telling Chrome about the moon landing, Byakuya looked away, distant. He thought on how once he crossed to the other side, he wouldn’t be able to communicate with Senku. Would he at least be able to watch his son again? He didn’t know.

Chrome eventually broke into tears, blaming whoever took that away from them. Byakuya also wondered the same thing...How could someone take away his son from him? His son’s dreams? Could Senku go to the Moon in this stone world?

“Moron, scientific civilization hasn’t been wiped out. It’s all well and intact” Senku pointed to his head “Right here” Then, he placed a fist into Chrome’s chest “And into you, too.”

Byakuya shook away his previous thoughts. Senku would figure it out. If someone could do it, it was Senku. _“Don’t forget about me!”_ Byakuya added, pointing at himself. _“After all, I’m the last astronaut alive!”_

Senku looked at his father, with a serious look.

“ _Wait, let me try again”_ Byakuya cleaned his throat. _“The last astronaut you have access to!”_

Senku facepalmed.

“What’s wrong, Senku? Are you tired after talking for so long? If you are okay with it...you can stay here as long as you want! After all, I’m gonna help you do that crazy scientific cure!” Chrome looked at Senku with determination.

“Yeah, thanks. I guess I need a break.”

  
  


The next morning, Kohaku, Chrome and Senku reunite to specify the details of the scientific cure-all.

“ _Antibiotics...”_ Byakuya murmurs to himself. He thinks of Connie, Shamil, Lillian; and their battles against pneumonia. All of then could have been saved with antibiotics. _“Is that even possible in this stone world?”_ He looks at Senku, and he smiles.

“We need an insane amount of patience and effort, but it is possible!” Senku affirms as he begins to draw the roadmap in the ground.

“ _Hey Senku, I’m not going to say that this isn’t possible but...electricity? Are you sure you can do that?”_ Byakuya questions, as he stares at the roadmap.

“Everything in this roadmap is 10 billion percent doable” Senku answers.

  
  


Night comes as Senku explains basic things to Chrome and Kohaku. He’s lying in the ground, looking at the sky as the two primitive villagers question him about the world. Luckily, Byakuya is there and Kohaku can hear him, so he helps answer the girl’s questions...  
“Wait, so the Earth spins?! Weird, since that star never moves...” Chrome points to the north star.

“The north star? Yeah, it always points to true north, 10 billion percent...make sure you remember” Senku explains.

“It looks slightly off from true north” Kohaku observes.

“That’s not possible, the margin of error is...” Senku then realises. “The Earth axis tilts!”

Byakuya looks at his son, shocked. _“...it is true, I haven’t had noticed before, but the night sky has changed over the past 3700 years, and seasons could also be affected by the axis shift. No wonder your GPS was off!”_

“Yeah, you two might be more observant than I am...wait.” Senku paused “How did you know where true north was?”

“Thanks to this bad stone I found on the mountain! If you make it float on water, it always points true north!” Chrome brags, showing the little rock on top of a leaf float away in the water.

“A magnet!” Senku and Byakuya say in unison, as Chrome gets bumped out to know Senku does know about the rock.

“That’s great, Chrome! With a magnet, we can find iron!” Senku praises the sorcerer, smiling wildly.

Next morning, the trio is at the river, collecting black sand with magnets.

“ _Iron sand...”_ Byakuya smiles

“The iron age begins!” father and son say in unison.

Byakuya watches as the trio collects iron sand when a strange melon appears. It turns out to be a kid named Suika. Senku welcomes her in to join in the iron sand hunt, and the child floats down the river.

“What are you, Momotaro? Don’t drown!” Chrome points out. Byakuya stared at the boy, confused.

“You don’t know about dragon quest or monster hunter, but you know about Momotaro...who taught you that?” Senku questioned.

“Ruri is always telling us stories!” Suika clarified.

“Now that I think of it, you also know about gorillas. Have you ever seen one before?” Senku continued to question.

“No, but a gorilla does appear in Momotaro” Chrome answered

“No, it doesn’t” Senku clarified

“Huh? Isn’t Momotaro the one that befriends animals by giving them millet cakes? He befriends a lion, a gorilla, a bear and crocodile.” Chrome explained.

Byakuya freezes in place. _“No way”_ He stares at Chrome, then Kohaku and finally to Suika. _“This Ruri...she’s your sister, right, Kohaku?”_

“She is” Kohaku answers. “What about her?”

Something in Byakuya’s mind clicks as he realizes the truth. He made that story. He made sure to pass it along with the generations. It is part of the 100 histories he made with Lillian. Suddenly, everything makes sense. Their names, Kohaku’s ability to see spirits, Chrome’s fascination with minerals…

Byakuya laughs loudly, startling both Kohaku and Senku. _“Of course, of course...so that’s it….that’s it….”_ He stares at the sky, holding back the tears, but he can’t. He closes his eyes and smiles, wiping the tears away.

He approaches Kohaku, whispering in her ear. “The village’s name...is Ishigami, isn’t it?”

Kohaku’s eyes widen, as she stares at Byakuya. How?... It is not something he could have guessed randomly, she knew as such.

“ _Can you do me a favour? Can you make sure Senku doesn’t know the village’s name? I want him to figure it all out by himself.”_ Byakuya placed his hands together, winking to the girl.

“Heh...you better explain when the time comes” Kohaku laughed, putting a thumbs up.

“ _I won’t, but he will”_ Byakuya looks at Senku, smiling.

  
  


Byakuya watches them fail at getting iron. When Suika offers herself to go investigate on the villagers, Byakuya doesn’t hesitate on following her.

It’s the first time he sets foot on the village. He trails off and walks around in wonder. All these people, the buildings...he made this happen. Is weird knowing that all the people around him are related to him and his friends in a way or another. He can trail some resemblances between himself and some of the villagers. He sees the wood stick flag...and it almost looks like a star. A nice flag for a village that descended from astronauts.

He wonders trough the island and sees the third one on the distance, connected by a bridge. It looks like the base of the village since the only building there is the one with the flag. .As soon as he crosses the bridge and wants to set foot to the lonesome island, he finds out he can’t

“ _What the-?”_ Byakuya tries again, but he can’t get into the island, no matter how hard he tries. Byakuya looks to the land in front of him _“...a sacred space”_

There was one limit to Byakuya’s ability to go through walls or walk into sites: sacred spaces. Churches, altars, guarded homes or rooms...he looks at the wood flag with new eyes. A protection symbol, marking the sacred space. The sacred space was like a protection bubble around the place is guarded, so no matter how hard he tried, he could never go inside it without permission.

“ _Well, this is exciting.”_ Byakuya smiles _“After all, Lillian made sure to leave a story about ghosts, mediums and sacred spaces...heh…”_ Byakuya looked to the island. _“Well, looks like I also have to wait to meet this mysterious Ruri...”_

  
  


When he gets back to where Senku is, the quartet is making fox tail flour. Byakuya peeks in, seeing as Senku turns the flour into pasta. _“W-wait are you making what I think you’re making?”_

Senku smiles at the question, ignoring it completely as he completes the dish.

“We had a name for this insanely good dish back in the modern world!” Senku announced.

“Ramen!” Father and son said in unison.

“ _Ooooh what would I give to be able to eat a bowl...”_ Byakuya cried. Senku made a motion to offer him a bowl, smiling.

“Oh no, you haven’t understood. I can’t interact with the physical plane, see?” Byakuya reached for the ramen bowl, expecting for his hands to go right trough it. Instead, he grabs the bowl. The bowl is warm in his hands, the smell of ramen hitting his nose. Weird. Usually, he can’t touch anything, nor he can smell anything. His touch and smell had vanished along with his life, so why…why could he interact with this ramen bowl?

“AAAAAH!” Chrome points to Byakuya’s bowl as he takes it. “S-Senku, look! T-The ramen bowl is f-f-floating!!”

Byakuya hadn’t noticed, but Chrome is right. Senku no longer holds the bowl, and to normal people that couldn’t see him, it would look like the ramen bowl was floating in mid-air.

“The dead can interact with what is close to their hearts...that is what sister Ruri told me” Kohaku explained.

“Ramen was your favourite, right? I was 10 billion percent sure you could interact with this.” Senku smirked. “Even if you can’t touch me, as we’re not related by blood” He added.

Byakuya wondered if that was true. If he couldn’t touch his son because they didn’t share a blood connection. And of course, he hadn’t tried to touch him after his death...so he closed in, trying to touch him. Nothing. His hand goes right trough.

“I don’t think that’s it” Kohaku interrupts. “...Help the ones that still have goals: For they can see, for they can hear, but they can’t touch” Kohaku clarifies.

“ _...oh”_ Byakuya realizes. Of course. Senku was part of his goal, his unfinished business. He can’t interact with him because he’s the only one that can help him cross. Byakuya stares at his bowl, as he puts the brew to his mouth. It’s the first thing he can taste it. He can taste the ramen. It feels good, it tastes awful, but for him, this is the best ramen he’s ever had.

As soon as he finishes his bowl (thanks to being able to also interact with Japanese chopsticks), it slips through his hands, falling to the ground.

“ _Aawn...Well, that was expected”_ Byakuya tries to lift the bowl again, but he can’t. _“But now that I know this…I can eat ramen again! Even though I don’t need to eat”_ Byakuya laughed loudly.

Chrome and Suika stare as the bowl falls, completely empty. “A-A ghost...” They hug each other in fear, and Suika is crying.

“Don’t worry. He’s a good ghost” Kohaku reassures.

“He?” Chrome asks.

“Ah, true. I almost forgot you guy can’t see or hear him” Senku explained, as he pulled a finger to his ear.

“Wait, you can? A-are you like Kohaku? A medium?” Chrome questions, interested in the subject.

“Nah, I just happened to die once. Ever since then, I can hear and see him” Senku explained

“YOU DIED? THAT’S BAD!” Chrome shouted.

Byakuya’s mind clicked. Maybe he couldn’t interact with Senku, but if he could interact with those close to his heart...he needed to test. He approached Chrome and placed a hand on his shoulder. His hand didn’t pass through. Byakuya smiled wildly.

“Eeep!” Chrome jumped suddenly, rubbing the shoulder Byakuya was touching. His hand went right through Byakuya’s. “W-what was that?”

Byakuya followed the experiment by patting Suika’s head, making the little girl confused, raising her hands to her head to see what was touching it, but nothing was there.

“Hey, old man” Kohaku placed a hand in the air. Byakuya grinned, high-fiving her. At that moment, Kohaku grabbed him, throwing him to the ground.

“ _AAAAH!”_ Byakuya screamed, looking at the sky. _“H-how did you?”_

“Those born under the stars….can touch the dead. In other words, mediums can touch spirits. Even if nobody else can” Kohaku explained, reaching a hand to Byakuya, offering her help.

Byakuya laughed. _“Ahahahaha, so that’s how it is”_ He then reached for Kohaku’s hand, as the girl pulled to make him stand up again.

  
  


* * *

  
  


That night, after making a man-powered generator and getting assaulted by Gen Asagiri, the few citizens of the science kingdom gather around Chrome’s shed. Senku shows something to Gen, a leaf with roasted bamboo on it. Byakuya wonders what all of this could be about, and then he remembers.

“ _No way…Edison’s…._ _light-bulb_ _?”_

And sure enough, moments later, the light of science shines upon Earth for the first time in 3700 years. Byakuya stared at the light in wonder. This was the real first step to making antibiotics, the first step to make a scientific civilization.

“Mazing-ay….” said the strange boy in black and white hair. His son had identified him as Gen Asagiri, the mentalist.

  
  


Later, Byakuya watches as the mentalist walks by the generator, spinning it in wonder and admiration.

“ _It is amazing, but this is how my son has always been. You have already made your choice, right? You’re joining the kingdom of science.”_ Byakuya looks at the boy, smiling.

Then, Byakuya feels a shiver down his spine. _**Death**_. He watches as Gen gets attacked by Magma, making Gen fall to the ground as the blonde’s spear goes right trough it.

“Gen!” Byakuya goes closer to the boy, he is not dead, but if he doesn’t get help, he will soon. He runs to the science shed where his son, Kohaku and Chrome are.

“ _SENKU!”_ Byakuya shouts, waking Senku and Kohaku up with a scream, that also wakes Chrome up.

“What the hell, old man?” Senku asks.

“Gen...has been attacked! By a blonde buff guy! He...he needs help” Byakuya explains.

Quickly, the group leaves the shed, quickly getting into Gen.  
“Is he?” Kohaku starts, looking at Byakuya.

“ _Not yet.”_ Byakuya answers.

“Yeah, he covered himself with fake blood bags.” Senku explains “But we need to bring him to the shed to heal him if we don’t want him to join the old man”

  
  


A trip to the science shed later, Gen is lying in the ground of the shed, half-dead.

“He’s not gonna die, but he’s pretty weak. He needs to rest” Senku diagnoses.

“But if he doesn’t get back to Tsukasa, he’ll come for you” Kohaku adds.

Byakuya stays by Gen’s side, seeing as the boy breathes slowly. He remembers his sick crew-mates back when he was alive and it shatters his heart.

“Hey...old man...no need to cry about someone like me,” Gen said.

Byakuya widened his eyes. Of course, the boy was almost dead, so of course, he could see him, but it only made things worse.

Senku closed by to Gen, to listen to what he was saying.

“Hey, Senku...can you make it in this stone world?” Gen quickly changes the subject as soon as the scientist approaches “Can you make me a cola?”

Senku wonders for a minute. “Yes, I can. Even if no-one else can.”

Gen smiles as he drifts to sleep.

Byakuya wonders if the boy is really gonna make it, he’s seen so many people die before his eyes…

“He’s gonna be ok” Senku sighted into the air “Don’t worry about it, old man” Senku smiled to his father.

Byakuya looked at his son, as he saw the mentalist resting peacefully, probably dreaming about the cola his son was gonna make for him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And now Gen can also see Byakuya! :D  
> Sum-up of new ghost rules:  
> 4\. Ghosts can't come inside sacred space unless they are invited inside  
> 5\. Mediums can touch ghosts  
> 6\. Ghosts can interact with that which is close to their hearts  
> 7\. Ghosts can't interact with people related to their unfinished business


	4. Ishigami

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Senku becomes the chief of Ishigami village...but at what cost?

After making glass, Senku and company were ready to make a whole chemical lab, if it wasn’t because nobody could make glassware and could only make a pair of glasses for Suika.

“Well, we aren’t artisans..” Senku mentioned

“An artisan?...hmm” After saying that, Chrome went into the village and came back with an old man, Kaseki. It turned out to be a master artisan, and in no time he was making glassware for the future science lab.

A few moments later, the building for the future lab is getting constructed, as everyone in the kingdom helps in making the lab. Byakuya sees the whole thing from afar, watching as the group put everything together.

When it is finished, Byakuya looks at it with nostalgia. It reminds him of the little laboratory he gifted Senku in his 6th birthday, and he smiles upon the thought. It was only going to get better from this point onwards, he knew as much. This was only the beginning, as there was still a lot of work to do in order to make the antibiotics.

There was one thing in the roadmap Senku made that worried Byakuya more than electricity…. ** _sulfuric acid._**

****

After their little trip to the sulfuric acid lake, Senku talks about making gas masks to collect the ingredient, but as soon as Chrome mentions going along with him, Senku denies the request.

That night, Chrome and Senku gather on a nearby tree right off of the base of the scientific kingdom. Byakuya sees Kohaku on one of the branches, and he decides to stay on his feet between the two boys, he could just float above the tree or something else, but it was easier for him to have solid ground beneath him as he didn’t control his flying or floating skills as well as he wished. Even tho he had 3700 years of being dead, he never got the hang of it.

“Listen up Chrome, because you’re about to inherit all I’ve got. All 3700 of human science.” Senku started.

“What?” Chrome and Byakuya seemed to say in unison, as both stared at Senku with surprise on their faces.

“Listen, I’m going alone to gather the sulfuric acid. If be both bite the dust, all of science will be lost to humanity” Senku explains

“….oi, what the fuck are you talking about?” Chrome cuts Senku up.

 _“Senku...what are you saying?”_ Byakuya closes his distance to his son, one step at a time. _“You can’t...you...”_

Chrome closes his distance with Senku, with a serious look on his face “So I’m staying home in case you die?”

“That’s the point after I tell you everything I know” Senku continues to explain.

“Then I don’t want it. Not like this” Chrome says with determination. Byakuya looks at Chrome as he closes even more distance to his son, making him flinch.

“I won’t help in a plan that makes it ok if you die” Chrome punches the tree behind the scientist, trapping him between the tree and himself. “If you die, then it’s game over!”

Byakuya sees the scene expectant. He’s never seen Chrome like this...his resolution was something other-worldly.

 _“Chrome...you...”_ Byakuya smiled, he was glad his son had someone as Chrome as his friend, as his partner. He was glad Chrome wasn’t gonna let Senku die so easily.

“You’re trying to protect me? Cut that shit out and tell me what I wanna hear!” Chrome puts his first forward, but Senku dismisses it.

“Aah, now we have to make an extra gas mask. It’s all your fault, Chrome” Senku takes a step forward.

“You can put your life in my hands, Chrome,” Senku says.

“Yeah, same here, Senku!” Chrome replies.

Byakuya tears up a little bit, seeing the resolution of both scientists. He feels a little more relieved now that Chrome is going along with Senku, and he sure is glad that his son isn’t thinking of a plan that could potentially get him killed.

 _“You better not scare me like that again Senku”_ Byakuya mentions to his son, but he seems not to hear him. Or rather, he doesn’t want to hear.

If Senku dies...no, Senku won’t die.

Would he?

The next morning, after cleaning the sensor, Chrome and Senku head together to the sulfuric acid lake, with Byakuya following them closely. If something happened to either of them...no, they will be fine, they’ll be okay. Nobody was gonna die, nothing bad was gonna happen. Byakuya didn’t know if he really believed that or if he wanted to believe, but either way, he really hoped both boys made it out from the experience.

When they make it to the lake, he sees his son tremble. It had been too long since he had seen his son scared of something. Chrome follows in silence as he calms himself to face his fears.

Byakuya also follows the boys in silence, almost fearing that if he dares to speak, his son would be distracted and then something bad will happen.

He sees the boys working from up close, staring at the beautiful emerald green lake. He is almost glad he cant die a second time because he would also be trembling in fear like his son.

Suddenly, he hears Chrome’s voice: “Senku! Your tube is melting!” Byakuya watches the boy running to his son...and slip into the lake.

Byakuya tries to grab him, to save him from certain death, and for a moment, Chrome floats in the air, but his weight is too much, and Byakuya can’t hold much longer. In that moment, the blackened silver spear flies in Chrome’s direction as he grabs onto it.

“Ginro!” everyone screams in unison.

Byakuya doesn’t let go of Chrome, avoiding him from touching the mortal water beneath the boy.

“H-heavy….” The blonde hold the spear in place, trying his best to not let his friend fall and save him from certain death

“Calm yourself Ginro, you gotta think with this and this!” Chrome says, pointing to his head and heart.

“True...I am Ginro, the bodyguard….I’ll use my brain and heart to beat my fears!” Ginro holds onto his spear and lifts Chrome into the air, making the boy reach land.

Chrome tries to calm his breathing upon reaching land, but his heart is jumping.

“I-I almost...Sorry, Senku, you were right” Chrome apologizes, lying on the ground as he recomposes himself.

“Naah….you were right, Chrome. I’m glad we came together.” Senku reaches a hand to Chrome and Chrome takes it.

 _“That was a close one...are you ok, Chrome?”_ Byakuya looks at Chrome, relieved to see the boy alive. He feels tired after helping to save the boy’s life, even if only Senku could see it.

“Yeah, I’m fi-” Chrome turn to Byakuya and widens his eyes, trying not to scream.

 _“...ah, I suppose that after that close call you can see and hear me, right? Hi, Chrome.”_ Byakuya greets, as Chrome tries his best to calm down.

“L-let’s get out of here soon so I can scream,” Chrome says, as the trio (well, quartet) gets out of the sulfuric acid lake after recollecting some of the material.

After getting to a non-dangerous zone, Chrome gets rid of his gas mask as he screams. He calms himself down, inhaling deeply. “Okay, I needed to get that out of my system.”

 _“Sorry for scaring you...”_ Byakuya rubs his head, giving the brunette a worried smile.

“So you must be the ghost that Senku and Kohaku talked about, right?” Chrome guesses.

_“Yep, that’s me! My name’s Byakuya, nice to finally meet you. Well, I already knew who you were, so...you know what I mean!”_

“...this ghost is kind of peculiar, isn’t it, Senku?” Chrome turns to his science mentor, not knowing how to take the situation

“Yeah, almost as weird as his son, right, old man?” Senku smirks.

 _“You’re too cold with your father, Senku….”_ Byakuya cries.

“Son? Father? Wait, wait...are you two?...Oh...Oh shit, Senku...I’m...so sorry” Chrome says, understanding the situation.

“Nothing to worry about, he died a long time ago,” Senku says, trying to explain the situation.

“Still, you have my condolences” Chrome bows.

“Umm guys, there’s someone here that can’t see or hear the spooky ghost” Ginro raises his hand.

“Be glad, because he’s 10 billion percent annoying” Senku clarifies “Also means you weren’t even close to dying” the scientist adds

“Wait...how do you know about the spooky ghost?” Chrome asks.

“Oh, that? There have been rumours in the village about him. Do you remember when you made ramen? Some villagers swore to see a floating bowl of ramen..,” Ginro clarifies

 _“Ah, thought I was hidden from everyone...whoops”_ Byakuya turns his eyes away from everyone, embarrassed.

“Well, it is better like this. I don’t want villagers to think I’m talking to thin air, I better let them know that my father’s ghost is haunting me” Senku pulls a finger to his ear, closing his eyes as he sights.

 _“Oi, I’m not haunting you. I’m looking after you!”_ Byakuya clarifies

“Don’t you have nothing better to do?” Senku asks bluntly.

“I-” Byakuya looks away, _“I think it’s gonna be lots of fun if I stay around you, I have to watch my own eves how you remake human civilization!”_ He doesn’t lie, but he doesn’t let his son know the whole truth. The truth behind his unfinished business.

“Aaah, so that’s what it’s gonna take you to leave me alone? Don’t worry, you can leave it to the scientific kingdom!” Senku smiles widely.

Byakuya returns the smile, but as soon as his son turns away, he goes serious. This was a close call for both Senku and Chrome. Byakuya could feel it would only be downhill from here, that things would get more and more dangerous as his son develops a scientific civilization again. Byakuya only hoped that nobody else had to go through the same thing he did. But he wondered how many people would be able to interact with him at the end of this long scientific journey.

Finally, Senku, Chrome and Ginro return to the base of the scientific kingdom with the sulfuric acid needed for the sulfa drug.

“Well, we only need alcohol and we can begin making it!” Senku announces.

“Alcohol? If you win the great bout tomorrow, you’ll have all the alcohol that you want!” Kaseki clarifies.

Right, the great bout, the one thing the power team had been working on for the last few months. The tournament that would decide on the next village chief.

“Talking about that...I signed Senku into the tournament!” Ginro mentioned.“The rules just say you have to be over 14 and single, nothing about being from outside the village!”

“Yeah, that’ll increment the chances of winning!” Senku laughed.

“That’s low...” Kinro and Byakuya seemed to say at the same time.

“What about you Kohaku?” Kinro asked.

“If it increases the chances to save my sister, I don’t care” Kohaku answered.

The next day, everyone gets ready for the big day. For the first time in 6 months, Senku finally steps into the village.

“Well, one step at a time” Senku smiles as he reunites with the rest of the science kingdom.

“Well, where do we have to go?” Senku asks.

“Oh, we have to go to the circular island” Kohaku answered  
_“The sacred space...”_ Byakuya murmurs.

When they arrive at the place, Byakuya sits down at the end of the bridge leading to the island.

 _“Well, this is my stop. I’ll be watching from here!”_ Byakuya smiles, putting a thumbs-up

“What are you doing? At least sit on the island…” Senku stares at his father with a blank look on his face

 _“I would love to sit on land, but I’m afraid I can’t get into the island”_ Byakuya puts a hand forward, but it is stopped by an invisible force field.

“Ah, this island is a sacred space. Ghosts can’t come inside them unless they are given permission.” Kohaku explains.

“Aah, I see...such a shame. You can watch our victory from there, old man” Senku quickly dismisses his father as he goes away to get sorted.

Byakuya stares blankly at the sorting board. True to its son’s luck, the sorting couldn’t be worse, with Magma against Kinro in the first round.

Before the first battle begins, Mantle says something about Suika falling into the river, and even after Senku and Chrome call it BS, Kohaku wants to check if it is true. Byakuya, worried about the little girl, also goes with her, running along with her to the river. Luckily, Byakuya could float, so he could arrive there faster than Kohaku.

When Byakuya finally arrives to the place, he sees no-one. _“That bastard...”_ Byakuya runs trying to search for Kohaku, and when he sees her on the distance, he puts himself in the way.  
_“Stop, Kohaku! It’s a trap! Suika was tied up, but she freed herself!”_

Kohaku stops almost immediately, they were pretty far from the village, but maybe they could make it in time to her round. Kohaku starts running in the opposite direction, but then, Byakuya gets an idea. He doesn’t know if he can pull the trick, but he’s willing to try.

 _“Hold up!”_ Byakuya grabs the medium by her arms, and with all his forces, lifts her off from the ground as both of them float away from land. The girl feels heavy against his arms and his stability isn’t the best, but if he could lift Kohaku just above the sacred space’s cliff…

 _“Hyaaa!”_ Byakuya throws the girl into the air in the island’s direction, and Kohaku makes a safe land. But it is already late, as Jasper announces that due to her absence, Senku was the winner of the third round.

Byakuya closes his fists with fury. If he had been faster… Kohaku immediately goes to hug Suika, being glad she was okay.

Byakuya makes his way to the bridge again, almost out of breath. It was the first time since he died that he felt tired, and it was not the best experience in the world. At least, he got to experience the rest of the tournament with no other inconvenient… or at least, so he prayed, because right now, he felt like not moving from his spot in a very long time.

Next round was Ginro’s. Due to his current state, he won with ease, but with grave physical consequences. When Ginro ran to the bathroom, making him leave the main island and going right trough Byakuya, Byakuya felt a tingly sensation inside him, almost like water rushing in and out like a wave. What a weird feeling..he had never felt something like that ever since he died, he usually didn’t feel anything when people or things went right through him, so why now? Why Ginro?

_“The dead can interact with what is close to their hearts”_

Byakuya’s eyes widened. Was that it? Was that the reason he couldn’t possess anyone? No, that didn’t make sense, why now? He couldn’t possess his descendants, so why would he able to possess someone from this village?

This village. That happens to be called Ishigami. His surname.

 _“My surname!”_ Byakuya connects the dots. He couldn’t possess his descendants because they didn’t mean anything to him, but his surname did. His surname, the one that he shared with his son, the surname that gave name to this village. He could possess the villagers because they lived in Ishigami village.

Byakuya stays put, thinking about it. So that’s it? Could he possess someone from the village? Could he finally be able to touch his son again if he did? Nor like Byakuya knew know to posses someone, as he had never had done it before, but he thinks of the possibility of being able to do it.

When Byakuya lifts his eyes again, Chrome is being beaten up my Magma, as the boy holds onto Suika’s broken glasses.

Byakuya wants to rush in “Stop!” He shouts into the air, trying to get past the invisible barrier once more. He hated it. He hated being unable to do anything.

When he sees the boy try his little fire experiment, Byakuya quickly realizes the same that Senku does “No Chrome, it will never work!” father and son shout in unison.

“Yeah I know, you two...” Chrome stills the training speak, with the mask hanging from it.

 _“Earlier...did he...”_ Byakuya starts to say.

“A concave lenses with tears and sweat...” Senku explained.

“Question is, is it gonna work” Gen’s voice says from somewhere. Not even Byakuya had noticed the mentalist getting up on one of the bridge’s posts.

 _“When? How?”_ Byakuya started to question, it was better if he didn’t...the mentalist truly had tricks upon his sleeve.

“Yeah, it can work” Senku gets in a pose that Byakuya knew too well: his thinking pose. He was calculating something too complicated even for Byakuya, he knew that look in his face, and he almost could see the equations and numbers inside the boy’s brain.

“...One minute. It’s gonna take one minute for him to be able to pull it off!” Senku answered.

“Got it~♪” Gen said happily.

Gen pulled a spell on Magma and bluffed good enough to make the brute stop moving as Chrome tried desperately to ignite the flame of victory. When a small flame finally appeared and Magma was suddenly surrounded by flames, Chrome made the last move, making him fall out of the island and winning the round.

Byakuya jumped from his seat, celebrating. He almost forgot about the force field and it was too late when he had already sprinted to join the group celebration and.. _.bam!_ Hit himself with the force field.

 _“Auch, that hurts...stupid sacred spaces….”_ Byakuya rubbed his nose and head, it was weird to feel pain again after so much time had passed.

After defeating Ginro with a simple balance system, Senku went straight onto the finals.

 _“Son...that’s so cruel”_ Byakuya mentioned.

Finally, it was time for the final round. Chrome vs Senku. Senku would himself win and then Chrome would become the village chief, easy, right?...it it wasn’t because Chrome was unconscious, lying on the ground.

* * *

In the end, Senku won.

 _“Wait, that means...”_ Byakuya stood again in disbelief. His son had just been converted into the village chief, and Ruri’s partner in marriage.

“All I have is to marry you, right? Then I’ll do it” Senku approached Ruri without hesitation.

 _“Wait a minute, my son? Getting married? I don’t know if I can handle this...I should be happy, but knowing that Chrome had a crush on her and worked so hard to be able to marry her...it is unfair...aaAAH, WHAT SHOULD I DO?!?!”_ Byakuya was a mess, what was going on? He felt Ruri’s curious glare onto him, quickly turning into shock.

“Well, now give me the alcohol!” Senku said happily. After obtaining alcohol, some of the villagers approached Senku.

“Well, we have to celebrate your marriage. Let’s drink!” one of the villagers said.

“Is that so? Then...I want a divorce!” Senku said, making everyone speechless, including Byakuya.

Did his son marry and divorce someone in the span of 5 minutes?

His son starts to run away with Kohaku and the alcohol back to the science Kingdom’s base.  
“Sorry, Ruri! I’ll explain everything to you later!” Kohaku shouts.

Byakuya takes a full minute to process what just happened. “ISHIGAMI SENKU, COME BACK HERE AT THIS INSTANT!” He shouts, but his son has already left. “This kid is gonna kill me…” oh wait, he was already dead, wasn’t he?

Byakuya turns around to the villagers and locks eyes with Ruri, who is staring at him with shock. Right, Kohaku’s sister. Who could hear and see him, because she was a medium.

Ruri approaches Byakuya without losing her shock, staring at the man in front of her in utter awe.

“You…” Ruri begins to say, smiling sweetly. She offers a hand at Byakuya.

Byakuya looks at the expended hand and smiles sighting. “Once you are cured, I’ll accept your invitation. For now, can you please forgive my son? He’s always been like this”

Ruri blinks a few times and then smiles. “Sure…hmm…” Ruri looks at Chrome. She’s got an idea.

“Turquoise, can you get Chrome’s body to the bridge?” Ruri asks.

“Umm, sure?” Turquoise answers, obeying the priestess right away. She did sure have some strange requests sometimes, like the time she asked to bring an extra cup of water when nobody else was around that one time…Turquoise moves Chrome’s body, who’s still unconscious, over the bridge.

“Here we go,” Turquoise says. “Is that enough, priestess?”

“Yeah, thank you!” Ruri says as she winks at Byakuya. Was she really suggesting what he thought she was suggesting?

Byakuya looks at Chrome, kneeling to the boy. He’s sleeping peacefully, tired after the battle. Could Byakuya really…? He closes his hand to the boy’s chest and feels a shiver flow through his body as soon as his hand touches the boy’s cheek. He instinctively moves it to his chest…and Byakuya feels a _pull._

Next time he knows, he’s lying in the ground, looking at the sky. Why did his body hurt so much?... Wait, why could he feel the wood? Why could he feel his body?.... _He?_... _His?...no_

Byakuya raises his hands…or rather, _Chrome’s_. He had possessed Chrome’s body. Byakuya sits down, looking at himself. Why? How? And how could he get out?

“Okaay Byakuya, don’t freak out, you just possessed someone, no big deal…” Byakuya takes a deep breath, trying to calm himself down when a girl suddenly appears in front of him. “AAH!”

Kohaku utters a laugh. “Haha, sorry, sorry!” Kohaku stands up, offering her hand. Byakuya takes it and stands up. What a weird feeling.

“Hello, Byakuya. I guess this is your first time possessing someone?” Kohaku asks, looking directly to ‘Chrome’s’ eyes.

“…How do you?...right, you’re a medium. I suppose you can tell this kind of things” Byakuya reasons. “Anyway, any tips on how to leave?”

Kohaku giggles at the boy. “Slow down, don’t you want to do something before leaving Chrome’s body? Maybe hug a special someone?” Kohaku suggests, winking at ‘Chrome’.

Of course! If he had a physical body…

“…no, I can’t.” Byakuya answers “I can’t do that. I’m already dead, no cheating. This will be my first and last possession”

Kohaku takes in the worlds with shock and understanding.

“…I understand. Close your eyes.” Kohaku looks at ‘Chrome’, smiling.

Byakuya closes his eyes, as he feels Kohaku’s forehead against his own.

“…from death, you rise and to death, you return” With a small phrase leaving Kohaku’s lips, Byakuya feels a _push._

And next time he opens his eyes, he’s back to his usual ghost body.

“Thanks, Kohaku” Byakuya smiles.

“Great, now I have to carry Chrome’s body to the science kingdom. You could at least have possessed him ‘till we were there” Kohaku sights.

“No cheating” Byakuya winks to the blonde girl, as the trio make their way to the science kingdom.

* * *

After a few weeks, Ruri is finally cured.

“It’s been years since I’ve been able to go out of the village or run!” Ruri says, happily running across the flower field. She makes it to her father and whispers something in his ear. The man agrees.

“Let’s go back, everyone” Kokuyo decides.

When they’re back at the village, Kokuyo summons everyone in the village in the duelling ground to make an important announcement.

Everyone talks about it as they go to the small round island, wondering what the announcement might be.

Ruri stops as she gets to the island, resting in one of the bridges’ polls. “I’m a little bit tired from all the walking, I guess my body isn’t used to this much exercise. You can go ahead as I rest here”

Nobody questions the blonde, as all the other villagers make It across the bridge. 

Byakuya stops when he reaches the end of the bridge, letting everyone else pass behind him.

When everyone makes it thought, Ruri turns to Byakuya and smiles, reaching a hand to him.

“And you’re last,” Ruri says, with a warm smile on her face.

Byakuya looks at the extended hand, sights, and grabs it. Ruri steps back…and he’s finally in. Trespassing the barrier makes a shiver run his whole body, and he shakes at the feeling.

 _“Well, that was…something”_ Byakuya comments.

“You may cross whenever you want…Byakuya-san.” Ruri nods, as she makes her way to everyone else in the village.

Byakuya is at first shocked, but then he smiles. Of course, the girl already knows about him and his son. He knew what was coming.

“Listen to me, everybody” Kokuyo announces “From this day onward, this man, Senku…is the leader of Ishigami village!”

Everyone cheers at the statement.

“…Ishigami?” Senku repeats with surprise.

“Yeah, that’s right Senku. I already knew about you. Your name is Ishigami Senku.” Ruri declares.

Senku stares at his father, who is in the crowd with everyone else.

 _“Don’t look at me! Sacred space, remember? I couldn’t have told her. But I did figure out the name of the village before you!”_ Byakuya smiles at his son as soon as their eyes meet.

“Well, now everything makes sense,” Senku says.

“Senku-san…you can see him too?” Ruri asks with shock.

“Yep, 10 billon percent” Senku replies.

“How did that happen?” Ruri asks.

“Why don’t we talk inside? I bet we’ve got a lot of things to say to each other” Senku replies.

One lengthy explanation later, everyone sits in the small room.

“I think I understood half of it” Chrome concludes.

“Suika didn’t understand anything” Suika declares.

“So, let me get this straight. Senku’s father, along with the other 5 persons, survived being petrified because they were in the sky and we’re all their descendants. Does that mean…we’re all Senku’s relatives?” Kohaku blushes at the thought.

 _“No, Senku and I are not related by blood. And you couldn’t be considered my relatives either, it’s been way too many generations.”_ Byakuya explains.

“So I have one question left…why is that Kohaku and you can see the old man?” Senku asks.

 _“Must be because of Lillian. She was a medium as well. Well, that’s what she said. I never believed her, but…”_ Byakuya looks to the ground with nostalgia. Maybe he was too hard on the poor singer.

“Aaah, so it must be an inherited ability then” Senku concludes.

“Well, we should prepare for tonight’s party!” Ruri claps her hands, smiling. “On behalf of the new village leader!”

“I’m not escaping this party, am I?” Senku asks.

 _“And this time **I** get to join!_” Byakuya adds, smiling widely.

Night comes into Ishigami village, and everyone is drinking and celebrating. Byakuya gets a little sad when he can’t get a single drop of alcohol, but seeing everyone so happy is enough for him.

He spots as Ruri whispers something to Senku and both begin to wander away. Byakuya hesitates to follow them until he sees Ruri motioning him to follow them.

Byakuya stands up and follows them. Where were they going to go next?...

“The last part of the tale…” Ruri looks at Byakuya “Well, it is a message from your father, Byakuya”

 _Oh_. That’s right. The message he left in the last tale, just for Senku to hear.  
“Ah? Well, let’s hear it from the man itself. Unless you don’t remember?” Senku teases.

“…I do. Every single word of it.” Byakuya looks at the horizon as he begins to speak.

The trio makes it to the cemetery. Byakuya looks at the tombs and sports the sole tombs o top of the hill _. His tomb._

“This tombstone is meant to mark where the founders are buried.” Ruri leaves some flowers in the tombs, praying.

“Ruri, dad…can you leave me alone for a second? We’ll go back soon” Senku looks at the grave in front of him, emotions beginning to mix inside him.

“Pretty well” The blonde makes her way to the village.

 _“…of course”_ Byakuya tries to smile at his son, but he can’t. Not like he was going to take his eyes our of the grave in front of him.

“That’s right, even if I can see and hear you…you died 3700 years ago. And one day, you’ll leave forever” Senku clenches his firsts as some tears flow freely from his face and into the grave bellow.

As Ruri and Byakuya walk to the village, Byakuya stops in the midway _“Ruri…go ahead. I’ll catch up to you soon”_

“…sure, take your time” Ruri departs with a graceful bow.

_“…that’s right…I’m dead. I have been for over 3700 years now_ …” Byakuya’s voice breaks as tears run down from his face _. “…and one day, we’ll have to say goodbye for good”_

**“…until then…let me stay by your side,”** Father and son say in unison.

* * *

That same night, they are attacked by Hyoga.

Byakuya watches as Kinro tries to stop the masked man from reaching the village, but is utterly defeated.

He watches as Senku starts to work on something to drive the intruders away.

“Wait, you’re not seriously planning-” Gen asks, understanding the plan.

Byakuya wonders what his son is planning to do…and when he realizes…

 _Bam_!

The loud sound resembling a gunshot lingers in the air.

“Run away, Hyoga-chan! This village already has guns!” Gen says, beginning to run away with the others.

As soon as the intruders and Gen are gone, Ginro makes it to his brother.

“G-Ginro’s dead!” The blonde cries.

“I’m still alive…somehow” Kinro mentions

 _“Don’t scare us like that again…”_ Byakuya adds.

Kinro’s green eyes lock into him when he speaks. “…y-you are…”

Byakuya feels his soul sinking to the ground _“…well, I guess you can see me now, too…”_

“What? Wait, are you talking with the spooky ghost? Can you see him now?” Ginro mentions.

 _“Spooky...ghost?”_ Byakuya asks, trying to understand the situation.

“Oh, I told them about you while Senku, Ruri and you were away at the party,” Kohaku explains.

“I didn’t quite believe her, but…” Kinro stares at the ghost, in utter shock.

 _“Yeah, I didn’t believe Lillian when she told me she could see ghosts either”_ Byakuya laughs. _“I guess it’s a pretty hard thing to believe!”_

“Anyway, if you don’t wanna die for real we gotta prepare for when they come back” Senku interrupts the conversation.

 _“They would probably wait for a storm to come, right? What are you gonna do next?”_ Byakuya asks.

Senku smirks. “A weapon strong enough to defeat them. If we can’t use guns…”

Byakuya realizes immediately _“…swords? Are you gonna make katanas?”_

“10 billion points for you, old man!” Senku confirms.

At that moment, Byakuya wondered what kind of crazy inventions his son would come up with in the future…and if he would be able to make a space ship.

No, if someone could do it, it was him. And one day, he would go to the other side.

But for now, they had a fight to win…and that fight would soon develop into a war.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for taking so long! Test season is really not treating me well @_@
> 
> Anyways, the next episode will ft the cellphone arc!! Get excited!


End file.
